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Published in the Miami Herald - May 24, 2010
As drums played a solemn beat, a black Cadillac carrying the body of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Patrick Ambroise passed under a large American flag Sunday and stopped outside the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Inside, more than 2,500 people waited to pay their respects to the fallen trooper, who died on duty May 15 in a fiery crash on Florida's Turnpike. He was 35 years old.
Roberta Ambroise, his widow, stood at the entrance, heaved a heavy sigh, and rocked herself back and forth. She held her 5-year-old daughter's hand and carried her 3-month-old daughter in her arm.
She did not cry.
Gov. Charlie Crist took the widow's hand as they walked into the convention center, which was packed with family members, friends, fellow church members and solemn law-enforcement officers from across South Florida and as far away as New York and California.
Many attendees were from the Eden Seventh-day Adventist congregation, where Ambroise, known to be serious-minded, worshipped. It was the same Little Haiti church where he grew up singing Creole gospel songs.
The memorial began with Hymn 527, The Lord Is My Shepherd, sung in French. The voices of his church filled the auditorium while his picture looked down from projections on giant screens. Then, one by one, those who were part of Ambroise's life took the stage.
FHP Trooper Shenaqua Stinger read aloud a poem, then told the crowd, ``know that Patrick is loved, and we will miss him.''
His brother-in-law, Bermann Flerena, spoke of the imprint Ambroise left on everyone's heart.
``Though Patrick is gone, it is only for a short while,'' Flerena said. ``We will see him again.''
Pastor Michel Porcena told the story of how Ambroise helped his mother cook and clean while she was pregnant with his sister Samantha. He talked about Ambroise's love for his wife and loyalty toward his friends.
``Live an unselfish life,'' he said, ``as Patrick did.''
The silence was pierced only by soft sobs and wails of mourning.
Pierre Louis Ambroise looked out for a moment at the thousands of people before him. He clutched his brother's picture -- Patrick's Ambroise's Florida Highway Patrol photo -- and held it out for all to see.
``When I look at Patrick, his face tells you everything about him,'' Pierre Louis Ambroise said. ``He's serious. He has a vision.''
Then the voices of the Eden Mass Choir filled the hall, rising toward the ceiling with chants of hallelujah. One by one, people stood and waved their hands while the song grew more powerful with each hallelujah until the final note, when the entire crowd rose and applauded.
Near the end of the ceremony, FHP Capt. Sammie Thomas recalled the grim night he learned of Ambroise's death. He also spoke of happier times, like when Ambroise persuaded him to support a gospel CD without telling him that it was in Creole.
``Patrick, you were right,'' Thomas recalled saying to Ambroise. ``I listened to the CD and good gospel is good gospel.''
But above all, Ambroise adored his family. ``His smile was never as bright as it was when he spoke about his family,'' Thomas said. ``You could feel the affection in his words.''
Ambroise, a graduate of Miami Edison Senior High School, was sitting in his parked cruiser near the Okeechobee Road toll plaza about 8:30 p.m. -- an hour and a half from the end of his shift -- when a black Lexus veered from the northbound lanes onto the shoulder, slamming full speed into Ambroise's 2006 Crown Victoria. The car burst into flames with the trooper trapped inside.
The Lexus' driver was identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar, who was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
Garcia, a college student, appears to have a clean driving record in Florida. Authorities said tests for drugs and alcohol came back negative. No charges were filed.
The Ford Crown Victoria, often used in police work, has come under scrutiny in the past for being involved in crashes with fatal fires.
In 1997, another FHP trooper died in a similar fashion. Robert Smith, 34, died on Interstate 95 when a man police say was drunk plowed into the back of his parked cruiser, causing it to explode on impact. Smith, too, was strapped inside.
Critics of the car say the location of the gas tank, behind the rear axle, makes it more prone to catch fire in a rear-end crash. In 2005, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., sent a letter to Ford, asking the company to conduct a ``major design overhaul'' of the Crown Victoria after a cab driver died in a fiery rear-end crash.
Ford made a set of gas-tank shields available for police cruisers, but it was unclear whether Ambroise's Crown Victoria had been fitted with one.
Ambroise's death is the first of a Florida trooper since January 2007, when Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was fatally shot by a suspect after a traffic stop in Highlands County.
After Sunday's ceremony, Ambroise's body taken to Dade Memorial Park, where family members and law-enforcement officers stood under what little shade they could find. Sobs broke out as troopers folded the flag on top of Ambroise's casket. A bagpipe began to play, and Miami-Dade helicopters thundered overhead.
Dispatchers performed a final roll call, calling out Ambroise's identification number, 1233, three times.
After hearing no reply, the dispatcher announced: ``1233 has been retired from service. May he rest in peace.''
Published on WSVN - May 24, 2010
NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. -- Thousands gathered to bid a final farewell to a beloved Florida Highway Patrol trooper.
Loved ones and fellow officers attended a memorial service for FHP Trooper Patrick Ambroise, which was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Sunday morning. One man who spoke during the funeral said, "To many of us, Patrick was a good man: a man of his word, a man that carried his family in his heart, and a man that would do anything for his family."
The 35-year-old trooper died last Saturday night. According to police, Ambroise was inside his patrol car, which was parked on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike, near the West Okeechobee Road exit. That was when, police said, 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia slammed into the trooper's cruiser, which then burst into flames, trapping Ambroise inside.
Officers who knew Ambroise recalled memories of the fallen trooper. "To Patrick's family, on behalf of the Florida Highway Patrol, we would like to send our deepest condolences. Please know that Patrick was loved, and we will truly miss him," said Ambroise's partner, Trooper Shenaqua Stringer.
FHP Trooper Jorge De Lahaz said, "He was very thoughtful in what he did. The most important thing in his life, of course, were his two girls and his wife."
"It's really amazing, the number of people that tragedies like this affect and touch and moves them to come from all over," said FHP Lieutenant Alex Annunziato.
Governor Charlie Crist also attended the funeral and, at one point, held the hand of Ambroise's widow.
Ambroise was laid to rest at the Dade Memorial Park Cemetery.
According to authorities, Garcia tested negative for any drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident and has a clean driving record.
Police said, charges are pending against Garcia.
Published on WTVJ - May 24, 2010
The issue of officer safety on the roads was front and center Sunday, as a Haitian hymn kept emotions in check for friends and family at the funeral of killed Florida highway patrol officer Patrick Ambroise.
Ambroise had come to this country 22 years ago and got a job defending its laws. For a few, hymns were not enough as they broke out in uncontrolled screams of grief. Some had to be literally carried away so the funeral could continue in the hot afternoon sun.
Roads were jammed with a slow-moving funeral procession as hundreds of law enforcement officers came from a memorial service at the Miami Beach Convention Center to the Dade memorial park near Opa Locka to pay their final respects.
Ambroise’s death happened May 15 on the Turnpike in Miami-Dade County near the Okeechobee exit. A young driver smashed into the rear of Ambroise's patrol car on the shoulder, causing a fire and trapping Ambroise inside. The third driver was injured and is in serious condition but is stable. Tests found no alcohol or drugs in his blood, FHP says.
"When these things happen like this,” said Col. John Czernis, the man in charge of the Florida Highway Patrol, “we see the impact it has on not just one person but on a family and a community."
Czernis attended the funeral service and the memorial service. Governor Charlie Crist was there too, along with friends from across the continent, like a childhood friend of Ambroise who said she lives in Quebec, Canada.
"So it's very painful for me because he's like a brother,” said Judith Ippolit who grew up with Ambroise in Cap Haitien, Haiti. “The closure’s going to be better for me just because I'm assisting at his funeral."
The accident, the memorial service and the funeral are a stark reminder that too few Florida drivers are following the "Move Over" law.
"Could be a patrol car, an ambulance or a tow truck. Do the right thing. Move over or slow down to 20 miles below the posted speed limit," blares the FHP’s promotional video for the “Move Over” law, which requires approaching drivers to move over one lane whenever they approach official vehicles on the roadside with flashing lights.
FHP is working hard to raise awareness. And they do hand out tickets. There've been so many officers hit and even more close calls. As a result, hundreds of people had to say goodbye to Ambroise.
Published in the Bradenton Herald - May 23, 2010
A slow-moving motorcade, led by hundreds of Florida Highway Patrol troopers on motorcycles, eased up to the Miami Beach Convention Center Sunday morning to pay final respects to Trooper Patrick Ambroise of Miramar.
Ambroise, 35, died May 15 in a fiery car crash on the Florida Turnpike that has raised questions about the safety of his police cruiser.
On Sunday, as drums played a solemn beat, a black Cadillac carrying the body of Trooper Ambroise passed under a large American flag suspended from a Miami Beach fire-rescue truck and stopped outside the sprawling convention center.
Roberta Ambroise, his widow, stood at the entrance, heaved a heavy sigh, and rocked herself back and forth. She held her 5-year-old daughter's hand and carried her 3-month-old daughter in her arm. She did not cry.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist took the widow's hand as they walked in to the convention center, which was packed with family, friends, fellow church members, and a solemn crowd of about 1,000 police officers from all over South Florida.
Many attendees at the funeral were from the Eden Seventh Day Adventist congregation, where Ambroise attended worship services, the same Little Haiti church where he grew up singing Creole gospel songs.
The memorial began with Hymn 527,?The Lord is my Shepherd,' sung in French. The voices of his church filled the auditorium while his photos were projected on giant screens. Then, one by one, those who were part of Ambroise's life took the stage.
FHP Trooper Shenaqua Stinger read aloud a poem, then told the crowd, "know that Patrick is loved, and we will miss him."
His brother in law, Bermann Flerena, spoke of Ambroise's imprint on everyone's heart.
"Though Patrick is gone, it is only for a short while," Flerena said. "We will see him again."
Ambroise, who joined the FHP force in January 2006, is to be buried at Dade Memorial Park Cemetery, 1301 Opa-locka Blvd. later Sunday afternoon.
Ambroise, a graduate of Edison High School, was sitting in his parked cruiser at around 8:30 p.m. -- just an hour and a half from the end of his shift -- when a black Lexus veered from the northbound lane onto the shoulder, slamming full speed into the rear of Ambroise's 2006 Crown Victoria. The car burst into flames, trapping the trooper inside. The driver of the Lexus that hit him was identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar. Garcia was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries.
Garcia, a college student, appears to have a clean driving record in Florida. Authorities said tests for drugs and alcohol came back negative for the driver. FHP said no charges have been filed.
The model of Ambroise's vehicle, the Crown Victoria, often used in police work, has come under heavy scrutiny in the past for being involved in crashes with fatal fires.
In 1997, another FHP trooper died in a similar fashion. Robert Smith, 34, was killed on Interstate 95 when a man police say was drunk plowed into the back of his parked cruiser, causing it to explode on impact. Smith, too, was strapped inside.
Critics of the car say the location of the gas tank, behind the rear axle, makes it more prone to catch fire in a rear-end crash. In 2005, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer sent a letter to Ford, asking the company to conduct a "major design overhaul'' of the Crown Victoria after a cab driver was killed in a fiery rear-end crash.
Ford made a set of gas-tank shields available for police cruisers in 2003, but it's not clear whether Ambroise's Crown Victo-ria had been retrofitted to address the fuel tank issue.
Ambroise's death is the first of a Florida trooper since January 2007, when FHP Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was fatally shot by a suspect after a traffic stop in Highland
Published on WZVN - May 23, 2010
LEE COUNTY: This weekend law enforcement members across Southwest Florida and the state are remembering the life of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper killed in the line of duty.
Last Saturday, Trooper Patrick Ambroise lost his life in a fiery car wreck.
With just over an hour left in his shift, Ambroise was sitting in his patrol car on the Florida turnpike near Miami when a car veered onto the shoulder and slammed into Ambroise's cruiser.
The car burst into flames and Ambroise was trapped inside and killed.
Saturday, Flags were at half-staff at the Fort Myers F.H.P. station and troopers are wearing black bands adorned to their badges.
The entire fleet is mourning the loss of one of its own.
"He's just starting out. He has a family. He has young children. His family will face a hardship and his kids won't know their dad. All of those are terrible things to happen," said Corporal Linda Powell.
Now troopers tell us this tragedy should have never happened.
They're upset that drivers still are not obeying Florida's "move over" law put into place eight years ago.
"I think it's scary being an officer. Period. There's a lot of things you have to worry about, you shouldn't have to worry about traffic as much as the person you're stopping having a gun, unfortunately it's not always that way," said Powell.
She says with Ambroise's death, comes anger.
Florida's "Move Over" law was created to protect law officers and tow truck workers.
It requires drivers to move into the next lane or slow down to 20 miles per hour when passing a parked law enforcement officer, emergency worker or tow truck driver.
The violation comes with a $159 fine, but troopers say it doesn't get the attention it deserves.
"It's amazing how many people aren't even aware of the law. Just about every state has the 'Move Over' law now, so there's no excuse for it," said Sergeant Mike Gideons.
Ambroise is the 43rd trooper killed in the line of duty.
As local officers plan an elaborate sendoff for this weekend, including helicopters, motorcycles and the color guard, F.H.P. troopers hope the loss of Ambroise's life sends a message to drivers: That a tragedy like this could happen to any law enforcement officer, at any location in the state.
"It's downright scary," says Sergeant Gideons.
Published in the Bradenton Herald - May 23, 2010
A slow-moving motorcade, led by hundreds of Florida Highway Patrol troopers on motorcycles, eased up to the Miami Beach Convention Center Sunday morning to pay final respects to Trooper Patrick Ambroise of Miramar.
Ambroise, 35, died May 15 in a fiery car crash on the Florida Turnpike that has raised questions about the safety of his police cruiser.
On Sunday, as drums played a solemn beat, a black Cadillac carrying the body of Trooper Ambroise passed under a large American flag suspended from a Miami Beach fire-rescue truck and stopped outside the sprawling convention center.
Roberta Ambroise, his widow, stood at the entrance, heaved a heavy sigh, and rocked herself back and forth. She held her 5-year-old daughter's hand and carried her 3-month-old daughter in her arm. She did not cry.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist took the widow's hand as they walked in to the convention center, which was packed with family, friends, fellow church members, and a solemn crowd of about 1,000 police officers from all over South Florida.
Many attendees at the funeral were from the Eden Seventh Day Adventist congregation, where Ambroise attended worship services, the same Little Haiti church where he grew up singing Creole gospel songs.
The memorial began with Hymn 527,?The Lord is my Shepherd,' sung in French. The voices of his church filled the auditorium while his photos were projected on giant screens. Then, one by one, those who were part of Ambroise's life took the stage.
FHP Trooper Shenaqua Stinger read aloud a poem, then told the crowd, "know that Patrick is loved, and we will miss him."
His brother in law, Bermann Flerena, spoke of Ambroise's imprint on everyone's heart.
"Though Patrick is gone, it is only for a short while," Flerena said. "We will see him again."
Ambroise, who joined the FHP force in January 2006, is to be buried at Dade Memorial Park Cemetery, 1301 Opa-locka Blvd. later Sunday afternoon.
Ambroise, a graduate of Edison High School, was sitting in his parked cruiser at around 8:30 p.m. -- just an hour and a half from the end of his shift -- when a black Lexus veered from the northbound lane onto the shoulder, slamming full speed into the rear of Ambroise's 2006 Crown Victoria. The car burst into flames, trapping the trooper inside. The driver of the Lexus that hit him was identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar. Garcia was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries.
Garcia, a college student, appears to have a clean driving record in Florida. Authorities said tests for drugs and alcohol came back negative for the driver. FHP said no charges have been filed.
The model of Ambroise's vehicle, the Crown Victoria, often used in police work, has come under heavy scrutiny in the past for being involved in crashes with fatal fires.
In 1997, another FHP trooper died in a similar fashion. Robert Smith, 34, was killed on Interstate 95 when a man police say was drunk plowed into the back of his parked cruiser, causing it to explode on impact. Smith, too, was strapped inside.
Critics of the car say the location of the gas tank, behind the rear axle, makes it more prone to catch fire in a rear-end crash. In 2005, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer sent a letter to Ford, asking the company to conduct a "major design overhaul'' of the Crown Victoria after a cab driver was killed in a fiery rear-end crash.
Ford made a set of gas-tank shields available for police cruisers in 2003, but it's not clear whether Ambroise's Crown Victo-ria had been retrofitted to address the fuel tank issue.
Ambroise's death is the first of a Florida trooper since January 2007, when FHP Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was fatally shot by a suspect after a traffic stop in Highland
Published on CBS 4 Miami - May 23, 2010
Flanked by four Florida Highway Patrol motorcycle officers, the body of Trooper Patrick Ambroise journeyed by hearse to the Miami Beach Convention Center where a memorial service was held.
Ambroise died last Saturday in a fiery accident on the Florida Turnpike.
The 35-year-old trooper left behind a wife and two young daughters; ages 5-years-old and 3-months-old.
On arrival at the convention center, an honor guard carried the casket containing Ambroise's body inside where the mourners were greeted by FHP Chaplain Rick Braswell. Jean Baptiste Monestime led the gathered in an inspirational hymn in Creole. The Reverend Luc Pierre read the opening prayer after Clifford Laguerre read a passage from Scripture.
After an inspirational song from Rachelle Oliver, Trooper Shenaqua Stinger, his brother-in-law Berman Flerena and good friend Jean Monestime talked about what Ambroise was like as a friend, a co-worker and as father.
Patrick's brother Pierre Louis Ambroise then took the podium and spoke about what it was like growing up. He said Patrick was always determined and focused on making a better life for his family and looked forward to starting his own business one day. He said as a boy Patrick was never afraid of getting his hands dirty, or working hard, because despite any obstacles he always had a burning desire to succeed.
Ambroise then joined a church choir that he formed with Patrick and some other men, of which the brothers were the only original members left.
Pastor Michel Porcena then offered a eulogy in Ambroise's memory.
Pierre Louis Ambroise then got up again and spoke. He talked about how he and Patrick had carved out a little world for themselves, took care of each other, were partners and brothers.
"He was my brother, my best friend, my advisor and my business partner," said Ambroise. "As teenagers and young adults we had our own group, the group that just sang. It lasted 17 years. Patrick as my right, I'm his left hand, sometimes I was his left hand and he was my right hand, sometimes he was left, I was his right, we worked it out."
He also spoke about the death of his father and impact it had on him, Patrick and the family. He also vowed to take care of his brother's family no matter what it took.
"I'm not going to cry. Just remember that I will do whatever it takes, whatever I can, that includes giving my own life. Patrick's funeral and my own dad's funeral will take about 10 to 15 years from my natural life but I'm willing to give that up because you guys deserve it. My brother deserved that and more. In 35 years Patrick was not a flashy guy, he had done more than anyone could imagine. I know because Patrick and I are business partners, we are best friends."
After a song by the Eden Church Mass Choir, Governor Charlie Crist took the stage and offered his condolences to Ambroise's family. Crist said when you look back on Patrick's life remember his kindness, his courage and his strength. The governor said Patrick became a public servant, a law enforcement officer, because he wanted to stand up for right.
"So we will celebrate and remember that which I am sure he learned from his mother and his father. So God Bless You for teaching your son well," said Crist who offered a final word to Roberta Ambroise. "Roberta know this before we depart. Roberta you are not alone, ever. All these people in this room, all of these law enforcement officers and their families are here for you, always, and for your entire family. Take comfort in the fact that anytime you need anything, anywhere, from anyone of us all you have to do is ask."
Following the governor two members of the FHP spoke about what is what like to work with Patrick, describing him as a devoted employee who was quick with a smile. They said his smile was never brighter than when he was talking about his family.
"Patrick is a good man, God fearing and that's the kind of person you want as a friend, son, for his wife, a husband just because he's honest, he would do anything to help anybody," said Ambroise's partner FHP Trooper Shenaqua Stinger. "He was usually the butt of the joke, but he could take a joke. He was a really good guy. I'm going to miss him a lot."
FHP Capt. Sammie Thomas Jr. was in the hospital when Trooper Ambroise's 3-month-old baby Chloe was born. He hopes that she and her 5-year-old sister Chelsea will know how much he loved them and what a good man he was.
"We have lost a true, dedicated soldier," Thomas Jr. said and described him as a "Godly, Godly man -- a person that would give you the shirt off his back. Sometimes you didn't know what direction the smile was coming from, whether there was a joke behind the smile, but yes, he had a smile that would melt butter."
Mourners then watched a special video presentation of pictures of Ambroise's life at home with his wife and children.
Following the service, Ambroise was buried at Dade Memorial Park Cemetery.
Ambroise began his career with the Florida Highway Patrol as a graduate of the 111th recruit class of 2006. He was assigned to Troop K, Miami upon graduation where he has been serving since.
Ambroise was parked on the right shoulder of the Turnpike just north of the Okeechobee interchange when his patrol car was rear-ended by a 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia. The impact from the accident trapped the Ambroise in his car and sparked a fire in the gas tank which engulfed the vehicle. Charges are still pending.
This is not the first time a car fire has killed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. In 1997, nearly the exact situation happened to trooper Robert G. Smith, who also died at the scene.
Newer models of the Ford Crown Victoria, like the one driven by Ambroise, usually come with an automatic fire suppression system meant to extinguish fires for rear-end collisions without any human intervention. They can also come with special trunk packs meant to prevent objects in the trunk from piercing the fuel tank. It's not clear if any of these systems were installed in Ambroise's patrol car.
Published in the Sun Sentinel - May 23, 2010
Funeral ceremonies are underway for the Florida Highway Patrol trooper killed in a fiery crash in Miami-Dade County.
The funeral for Trooper Patrick Ambroise, 35, started at 11 a.m. Sunday at Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach. The length of the ceremony wasn't provided, but when it ends, Ambroise's body will be taken for burial to Dade Memorial Park Cemetery, 1301 Opa Locka Blvd., Miami.
Ambroise was in a crash Saturday evening near the Okeechobee Road exit on Florida's Turnpike interchange in western Miami-Dade County.
He was in his parked 2006 Ford Crown Victoria when a Lexus veered from the northbound lane onto the shoulder and struck the rear of Ambroise's cruiser, FHP said. Ambroise was trapped in his vehicle as it burst into flames, FHP said.
FHP on Wednesday also said it has obtained toxicology results for the Lexus' driver — Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar.
An exam of his blood and urine showed no signs of drugs or alcohol, FHP said. No charges have been filed. The crash remains under investigation.
Ambroise, who began his career with the agency on Jan. 12, 2006, is survived by his wife Roberta, and two daughters, ages 3 months and 5 years old, FHP said.
Published in the Miami Herald - May 23, 2010
The large funeral procession for Trooper Patrick Ambroise of the Florida Highway Patrol will interrupt traffic on some roads in Miami-Dade beginning around 2 p.m. Sunday as it travels from the Miami Beach Convention Center to the Dade Memorial Park Cemetery at 1301 Opa-locka Blvd.
The roads affected stretch from the Miami Beach Convention Center at 17th Street to Alton Road, north to I-195, west to I-95, and north on I-95 to the 135th Street exit.
Published on CBS 4 Miami - May 22, 2010
Family, friends and fellow officers will gather this weekend to memorialize and say their final farewells to a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper who died in a fiery crash on the Florida Turnpike last weekend.
Last Saturday Trooper Patrick Ambroise was parked on the right shoulder of the Turnpike facing northbound in the area just north of the Okeechobee interchange when he was rear-ended by a 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia. The impact from the accident trapped the Ambroise in his car and sparked a fire in the gas tank which engulfed the vehicle.
The 35-year-old trooper left behind a wife and two young daughters; ages 5-years-old and 3-months-old.
A public viewing for Ambroise will be held Saturday, May 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. at the Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church, located at 8017 NE 2nd Ave in Miami.
Ambroise's funeral will be held Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at the Miami Beach Convention Center. CBS4.com will have a live stream of the procession to the Convention Center and the funeral service.
Garcia was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries. Initial tests showed Garcaia has no drugs or alcohol in his system.
Ambroise began his career with the Florida Highway Patrol as a graduate of the 111th recruit class of 2006. He was assigned to Troop K, Miami upon graduation where he has been serving since.
This is not the first time a car fire has killed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. In 1997, nearly the exact situation happened to trooper Robert G. Smith, who also died at the scene.
Newer models of the Ford Crown Victoria, like the one driven by Ambroise, usually come with an automatic fire suppression system meant to extinguish fires for rear-end collisions without any human intervention. They can also come with special trunk packs meant to prevent objects in the trunk from piercing the fuel tank. It's not clear if any of these systems were installed in Ambroise's patrol car.
Published on WSVN - May 21, 2010
DORAL, Fla.-- The loss of another South Florida police officer has law enforcement statewide promoting two very important laws.
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Patrick Ambroise died after a driver slammed into the back of his patrol car. The recent tragedy has officers all over Florida promoting the Click it or Ticket campaign as well as reminding drivers to move over when they see an officer conducting a traffic stop.
Thursday, dozens of officers are spreading the important message to drivers. "We're also enforcing the Move Over law. A lot of Floridians, a lot of people throughout the state don't know that we've had this law in the book since 2002, and the purpose of it is to make sure that the officers get home safely," said Doral Police Lieutenant James Dobson.
Authorities believe Jonathan Garcia was driving while distracted when he rear-ended Ambroise's patrol car that was parked on the side of the highway.
Officers from Aventura, Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens are just a few of the agencies participating in the multi-agency effort.
Authorities are not only spreading awareness of the Move Over law, but they are also looking for those speeding, not wearing a seat belt or driving and not paying attention to the road. "What happens is people are not paying attention to what they are doing, they are watching the police officer to see what he's doing, and they're not moving out of his way in case he needs to get out of the car or do what he has got to do," said Virginia Gardens Police Lieutenant Curtis Hodges.
A funeral service will be held for FHP Trooper Ambroise at the Miami Beach Convention Center Sunday, at 11 a.m.
Published on MIAMI (CBS4) - May 20, 2010
A memorial service will be held for Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Patrick Ambroise on Sunday, May 23rd, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Family, friends and fellow officers will gather this weekend to memorialize and say their final farewells to a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper who died in a fiery crash on the Florida Turnpike last weekend.
Last Saturday Trooper Patrick Ambroise was parked on the right shoulder of the Turnpike facing northbound in the area just north of the Okeechobee interchange when he was rear-ended by a 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia. The impact from the accident trapped the Ambroise in his car and sparked a fire in the gas tank which engulfed the vehicle.
The 35-year-old trooper left behind a wife and two young daughters; ages 5-years-old and 3-months-old.
A public viewing for Ambroise will be held Saturday, May 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. at the Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church, located at 8017 NE 2nd Ave in Miami.
Ambroise's funeral will be held Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at the Miami Beach Convention Center. CBS4.com will have a live stream of the procession to the Convention Center and the funeral service.
Garcia was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries. Initial tests showed Garcaia has no drugs or alcohol in his system.
Ambroise began his career with the Florida Highway Patrol as a graduate of the 111th recruit class of 2006. He was assigned to Troop K, Miami upon graduation where he has been serving since.
This is not the first time a car fire has killed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. In 1997, nearly the exact situation happened to trooper Robert G. Smith, who also died at the scene.
Newer models of the Ford Crown Victoria, like the one driven by Ambroise, usually come with an automatic fire suppression system meant to extinguish fires for rear-end collisions without any human intervention. They can also come with special trunk packs meant to prevent objects in the trunk from piercing the fuel tank. It's not clear if any of these systems were installed in Ambroise's patrol car.
Published in the Miami Herald - May 18, 2010
Members of Florida Highway Patrol Troop K came together Monday to pay an emotional tribute to one of their own: Trooper Patrick Ambroise of Miramar, who died Saturday in a fiery car crash that has raised questions about the driver who hit him and the safety of the trooper's police cruiser.
Troopers who worked with Ambroise wore black bands over their badges, lowered the flag at Miami FHP headquarters in West Miami-Dade to half-staff and spoke about the colleague and friend they had come to know over the past four years.
``Any time we lose a member of this family, it quite naturally is going to affect us,'' FHP district commander Capt. Sammie Thomas said at the ceremony. ``We take these highways personal. We work every day and put our lives on the line to protect the public, and that's what Patrick did.''
Thomas focused on honoring Ambroise's memory, describing him as a dedicated and religious man who was a tenor in a gospel group and adored his wife and two daughters, 5-years and 3-months-old. His partner, Trooper Shenaqua Stringer, read a poem dedicated to Ambroise's daughters.
``I want his family to know that he really loved them,'' she told reporters.
Funeral services for Ambroise are tentatively planned for Sunday.
Troopers declined to comment on the investigation into the crash, which happened Saturday evening near the Okeechobee Road exit on Florida's Turnpike.
``Today is about Patrick Ambroise,'' Thomas said.
Ambroise was sitting in his parked cruiser at around 8:30 p.m. when a black Lexus veered from the northbound lane onto the shoulder, slamming full speed into the rear of Ambroise's 2006 Crown Victoria. The car burst into flames, trapping the trooper inside.
The driver of the Lexus that hit him has been identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar. Garcia, who was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries, was in fair condition Monday.
FHP said no charges have been filed.
Garcia, a college student, appears to have a clean driving record in Florida.
Now, part of the probe is whether Garcia was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, whether he was distracted by cellphone or text messaging, or even whether he fell asleep at the wheel.
The model of Ambroise's vehicle, the Crown Victoria, often used in police work, has come under heavy scrutiny in the past for being involved in crashes with fatal fires.
In 1997, another FHP trooper died in a similar fashion. Robert Smith, 34, was killed on Interstate 95 when a man police say was drunk plowed into the back of his parked cruiser, causing it to explode on impact.
Smith, too, was strapped inside.
Critics of the car say the location of the gas tank, behind the rear axle, makes it more prone to catch fire in a rear-end crash. In 2005, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer sent a letter to Ford, asking the company to conduct a ``major design overhaul'' of the Crown Victoria after a cab driver was killed in a fiery rear-end crash.
Ford made a set of gas-tank shields available for police cruisers in 2003, but it's not clear whether Ambroise's Crown Victoria had been retrofitted to address the fuel tank issue.
Ambroise's death is the first of a Florida trooper since January 2007, when FHP Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was fatally shot by a suspect after a traffic stop in Highlands County.
Ambroise, a graduate of Miami Edison High who lived in Miramar at the time of his death, began his career with FHP in January 2006.
Published in the Miami Herald - May 17, 2010
Members of Florida Highway Patrol Troop K came together Monday to pay tribute to Trooper Patrick Ambroise, who died Saturday in a fiery car crash that has raised questions about the driver that hit him and the safety of the trooper's police cruiser.
The troopers wore black bands over their badges, lowered the flag at Miami FHP headquarters in West Miami-Dade to half-staff and spoke about the colleague and friend they had come to know over the past four years.
``Anytime we lose a member of this family, it quite naturally is going to affect us,''FHP commanding officer Sammy Thomas said. ``We take these highways personal. We work everyday and put our lives on the line to protect the public and that's what Patrick did.''
Thomas focused on honoring Ambroise's memory, describing him as a dedicated and godly man who would ``give you the shirt off his back.'' Troopers declined to comment on the investigation into the crash, which happened Saturday evening near the Okeechobee Road toll plaza on Florida's Turnpike.
Ambroise was sitting in his parked cruiser when a black Lexus veered from the northbound lane onto the shoulder, slamming into the rear of Ambroise's 2006 Crown Victoria. The car burst into flames, trapping the trooper inside.
The driver of the Lexus has been identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar. Garcia, who was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries, is in fair condition Monday. FHP said no charges have been filed as the investigation continues.
Garcia, a college student, appears to have a clean driving record in Florida.
Part of the probe is whether Garcia was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, whether he was distracted by cellphone use and whether he fell asleep at the wheel.
The model of Ambroise's vehicle, the Crown Victoria, often used in police work, has come under heavy scrutiny in the past for being involved in crashes with fatal fires.
Critics of the car say the location of the gas tank, behind the rear axle, makes it more prone to catch fire in a rear-end crash. In 2005, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer sent a letter to Ford, asking the company to conduct a ``major design overhaul'' of the Crown Victoria, after a cab driver was killed in a fiery rear-end car crash.
Ford made a set of gas-tank shields available for police cruisers in 2003, but it's not clear whether or not Ambroise's Crown Victoria had been retrofitted to address the fuel tank issue.
Ambroise's death is the first of a Florida trooper since January 2007, when FHP Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was shot to death by a suspect after a traffic stop in Highlands County.
Ambroise, a graduate of Miami Edison High who lived in Miramar at the time of his death, began his career with FHP in January 2006. He was assigned to Troop K in Miami upon graduation. He served there ever since.
On Sunday, at Ambroise's childhood home in Little Haiti where his mother still lives, cars piled up outside as a steady stream of family and friends came to pay their respects.
``We are a very close, tight family,'' said Eddy Colas, a cousin. ``It's a very sad situation for all of us. We're just trying to hang together.''
Funeral arrangements are being finalized.
Published in the Palm Beach Post - May 17, 2010
MIAMI — A United States flag that flew over Ground Zero after the Sept. 11 attacks has arrived in Miami to honor a Florida Highway Patrol trooper killed in an on-duty crash.
Trooper Patrick Ambroise was killed Saturday after another vehicle crashed into his parked patrol car on Florida's Turnpike. Ambroise was trapped in his car and pronounced dead at the scene.
The honor flag has traveled around the country since the terrorist attacks to pay tribute to police, fire, and military officers who have died in the line of duty.
The flag will be stationed by the trooper's side as he is remembered by colleagues and loved ones.
Published in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel - May 17, 2010
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Patrick Ambroise spent his Saturday as he normally did: as a Seventh-day Adventist, he attended worship services at the same Little Haiti church he attended as a youth. Afterward, he went to visit his mother, and then went to work.
The 35-year-old wasn’t feeling well. His wife, Roberta, told him to call in sick.
“But he was very committed, very responsible. He went to work, and we lost him,” said his minister, Pastor Luc Pierre, who said his Eden Seventh-day Adventist congregation and the community is in mourning following Ambroise’s death Saturday night.
An hour and a half before his shift was scheduled to end, the four-year FHP veteran, who lived in Miramar, was killed as he sat inside his parked cruiser near the Okeechobee Road toll plaza on Florida’s Turnpike. Around 8:30 p.m., a black Lexus veered from the northbound lane onto the shoulder, slamming into Ambroise’s 2006 Crown Victoria. The car burst into flames, trapping him inside.
Ambroise, a father to two daughters, aged 3 months and 5 years, died at the scene of the crash. The driver of the Lexus has been identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar. Garcia, who was flown to Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries, was in stable condition Sunday. No charges have been filed while the investigation continues.
This is the first death of Florida trooper in more than three years. In January 2007, FHP Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was shot to death by a suspect after a traffic stop in Highlands County.
Ambroise, a graduate of Miami Edison High School, began his career with FHP as a graduate of the 111th recruit class in Tallahassee in January 2006. He was assigned to Troop K in Miami upon graduation, where he had served ever since.
At Ambroise’s childhood home in Little Haiti on Sunday, cars crowded outside as a steady stream of family and friends came to pay respects.
“We are a very close, tight family,” said Eddy Colas, a cousin. “It’s a very sad situation for all of us. We’re just trying to hang together.”
One of Ambroise’s brothers, Pierre Louis Ambroise, said the family wasn’t ready to speak publicly about his brother’s death.
Although Ambroise had moved to Miramar, he and his family still came back to Miami to Little Haiti each Saturday to attend services at Eden, a 700-member church.
A father of a His childhood minister, Pastor Michel Porcena, said Sunday Ambroise was active at Eden Seventh Day Adventist Church in Little Haiti, where he sang with a gospel group, Esperanza, and worked as an elder to the youth.
“It’s a tragedy,” said Porcena, who married Ambroise to his wife, Roberta, six years ago. “He took things seriously - whether his work, church or family life. He was someone you could rely upon.”
Ambroise was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti but grew up in Miami. In addition to his wife and two daughters, he is survived by his mother, three brothers and three sisters.
Florida’s 2002 Move-Over Law requires motorists to slow down or be a lane away from police, ambulances and tow truck drivers on the shoulder or side of the road.
Between 2000 and 2008, 144 police officers nationwide have been killed because they were struck by vehicles, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Most states have laws that require drivers to give emergency vehicles a wide berth.
Last December, a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy was injured on the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 near Oakland Park Boulevard after he sat inside his car, parked to the left of the HOV lanes writing a ticket.
“This is a big loss, for the community, for the church, for FHP,” said Pastor Pierre. ‘‘He is dead, and we have to mourn his departure. But we have hope as Christians that we will see him again.”
Published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel - May 16, 2010
Miami – A 35-year-old Florida Highway Patrol officer was killed in a fiery collision Saturday evening in northwest Miami-Dade County when his patrol car was stuck from behind on the Florida Turnpike.
Patrick Ambroise, who had just marked his fourth anniversary as an FHP officer, was trapped in his car and engulfed in flames. He was prounounced dead at the scene.
Ambroise, in a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria, was parked on the right shoulder of the northbound toll road just north of the Okeechobee Road interchange at 8:39 p.m. when his vehicle was struck from hehind by a 1995 Lexus, according to FHP investigators.
The driver of the Lexus, Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar, veered from the northbound travel lane and struck the rear of the officer's car.
Garcia was taken by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital with serious injuries, according to FHP officers.
Traffic on the Turnpike was diverted in both directions for more than an hour while officers investigated rhe crash and then cleared the scene.
Ambroise began his FHP career after graduating with the 111th recruit class in Tallahassee on January 12, 2006. He was assigned to Troop K in Miami.
Among survivors are his wife Roberta, and two daughters, ages 5 and 3 months.
The crash remains under investigation.
Published on WPBF - May 16, 2010
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was killed in a crash while on duty Saturday night, the patrol said.
Trooper Patrick Ambroise, 35, was parked on the right shoulder of the northbound lanes of the Turnpike in Miami Dade County just north of the Okeechobee interchange at 8:39 p.m. when his car was hit from behind. A 1995 black two-door Lexus driven by Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar, veered from the northbound travel lane onto the shoulder and struck the trooper's car, highway patrol officials said.
Ambroise was trapped in his car, which became engulfed in flames. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Garcia was taken by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center by helicopter with serious injuries.
The crash is under investigation.
Ambroise was the married father of two girls, ages 5 and 3 months, the highway patrol said. He began his career with the highway patrol in January 2006 and has been assigned to Troop K in Miami since then.
Published on CBS4 - May 16, 2010
Florida Highway Patrol has released the name of a trooper who died Saturday night after his patrol car was hit on the Florida Turnpike and burst into flames.
The accident happened around 8:30 p.m. when the driver of a Lexus slammed into the back of Trooper Patrick Ambroise's Crown Victoria patrol car that was parked on the right shoulder of the Turnpike facing northbound in the area just north of the Okeechobee interchange.
The impact from the accident sparked a fire in the gas tank which engulfed Ambroise's car, trapping him inside.
The driver of the Lexus, identified as 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries.
Ambroise, 35, leaves behind a wife and two young daughters; ages 5 years old and 3 months old.
Ambroise began his career with the Florida Highway Patrol as a graduate of the 111th recruit class of 2006. He was assigned to Troop K, Miami upon graduation where he has been serving since.
The U.S. Honor Flag arrived in Miami early Sunday morning from Washington DC where it will be flown in Ambroise's honor.
This is not the first time a car fire has killed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. In 1997, nearly the exact situation happened to trooper Robert G. Smith, who also died at the scene.
The state has tried to prevent accidents like these by enforcing Florida's Move-Over law, which was put into place in 2002 but which troopers claim has been largely ignored by motorists.
The law requires motorists approaching emergency personnel working at the side of the road to either change lanes to create a safe zone for them, or to slow down to 20 m.p.h. below the speed limit until they pass the scene.
Published in the Miami Herald - May 16, 2010
The Florida Highway Patrol early Sunday identified Patrick Ambroise, 35, as the trooper who was killed Saturday night when his parked cruiser was struck from behind in Florida's Turnpike and burst into flames, trapping him inside.
Ambroise, a four-year veteran, died at the scene of the crash near the Okeechobee Road toll plaza. He is survived by his wife, Roberta, and his two daughters, 5 and three months,
The driver of the black Lexus that struck Ambroise has been identified as Jonathan Robert Garcia, 19, of Miramar. Garcia was flown to Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries. He is in stable conditions.
``When rescue units arrived, the cruiser was still engulfed in flames,'' said FHP Sgt. Mark Wysocky late Saturday night.
Wysocky said minutes before the 8:30 p.m. crash the trooper was sitting inside his 2006 Crown Victoria facing north when the Lexus veered from the northbound travel lane onto the shoulder and slammed into the rear of the parked patrol car, causing it to burst into flames, trapping the trooper inside.
``We're not sure if the trooper was doing paperwork on the side of the road; that's now part of the investigation,'' Wysocky said.
No charges had been filed.
The accident prompted the closing of all northbound traffic in that section of the turnpike. Traffic is expected to be rerouted into Sunday.
The smoldering FHP cruiser was still on the scene late Saturday night, Wysocky said.
This is the first death of Florida trooper in more than three years. In January 2007, FHP Sgt. Nicholas Sottile was shot to death by a suspect following a traffic stop in Highlands County.
Ambroise began his career with FHP as a graduate of the 111th recruit class in Tallahassee in January 2006. He was assigned to Troop K in Miami upon graduation where he has been serving since.
In Memory of Trooper Patrick Ambroise
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